Best Pasta Salad Recipe

Best Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 4 Servings

• salt for the pasta water
• ¾ pound fusilli (corkscrew), small penne, or orecchiette (little ears) pasta
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 medium clove)
• ¾ cup very finely minced red onion
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium bell pepper (any color), diced
• half a medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

Method

1. Put a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a tablespoon of salt
2. Place a large colander in the sink
3. When the water boils, add the pasta, keeping the heat high
4. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the package, tasting a piece of pasta toward the end of the suggested time to be sure it is not getting overcooked
5. When it is just tender enough to bite into comfortably but not yet mushy, dump the water-plus-pasta into the colander
6. Shake emphatically to drain
7. While the pasta is cooking, combine the olive oil, garlic, onion, parmesan, vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl (a wide, shallow one works well) and whisk to blend
8. As soon as the hot pasta is thoroughly drained, add it to the bowlful of dressing, stirring to coat all the pasta
9. Set aside to cool to room temperature
10. Add the bell pepper and cucumber, and mix gently but thoroughly
11. Serve at room temperature, or chill and serve cold

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